Hishofuji Hiroki (born July 14, 1989 as Hiroki Sumi) is a former sumo wrestler from Hyōgo-ku, Kobe, Japan. The highest rank he reached was Juryo 13, which he held for just a single basho. He wrestled for Nakamura stable until it closed down in December 2012, then transferring and finishing his career at Azumazeki stable. He retired in January 2017. He now lives in Los Angeles and participates in sumo exhibitions and amateur tournaments under the name Hiroki, often alongside Ulambayaryn Byambajav and Yamamotoyama.
| Hishofuji Hiroki | |
|---|---|
| 飛翔富士 廣樹 | |
 Hishofuji during his only tournament as a sekitori, September 2011 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Hiroki Sumi July 14, 1989 Hyōgo-ku, Kobe, Japan |
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 3+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 201 kg (443 lb; 31 st 9 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Nakamura → Azumazeki |
| Record | 234-197-47 |
| Debut | March 2005 |
| Highest rank | Juryo 13 (September 2011) |
| Retired | January 2017 |
| Championships | 2 1 (Sandanme) 1 (Jonokuchi) |
| * Up to date as of May 2023. | |
Career
editHiroki was always a large boy and by the time he had graduated from Hyogo junior high school he was already 190 cm tall and weighed 120 kg. Hiroki was also a notable judoka at the prefectural level. This along with his exceeding size garnered him an invitation to join Nakamura stable. He made his debut in March 2005 and made steady progress up the banzuke. This continued until he reached Sandanme in March 2007 recording a mere three losing records on his way there. After a few losing records and bouncing between sandanme and Jonidan he returned to steady progress and was promoted to Makushita. This is where he would spend most of his career. He was helped along by the 2011 match fixing scandal which saw many wrestlers forced to retire, and in September 2011 was promoted to his career high rank of Juryo 13 and become a sekitori. He would win only four of his fifteen matches and was immediately demoted back down to makushita; he would never make it back to the salaried ranks again. In November 2012 with his stable master Fujizakura reaching the mandatory retirement age and closing down the stable he transferred to Azumazeki stable. In late 2013 Hiroki suffered a major right knee injury which would see him sit out for over a year and drop off the banzuke. He would return to the dohyo in January 2015 and start an impressive 22 win streak picking up two lower division yusho (Jonokuchi and Sandanme) in the process. After this though he would put up mediocre records having been troubled by a left ankle issue. After three consecutive losing records and losing his opening bout of the January 2017 basho he decided to retire.
After retirement
editExhibitions and amateur tournaments
editOn 25 January 2017, it was announced by the Japan Sumo Association that Hishofuji was retiring from the sumo wrestling association.[1][2][3] After his retirement from the Japan Sumo Association, he decided to leave Japan for the United States. Here he would start doing sumo exhibitions and amateur tournaments, often alongside Ulambayaryn Byambajav and Yamamotoyama.[4] He also made his pro wrestling debut in WWE at the Greatest Royal Rumble in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he was the 7th entrant, but was quickly eliminated by Mark Henry.[5][6][7] In July 2020 he appeared on Game On! with Bobby Lee.[8]
On screen
editIn February 2023, he announced that he participated in the filming of the Netflix series revolving around the world of professional sumo, Sanctuary, in which he plays the role of a wrestler (Shizuuchi).[9][10]
Hiroki Sumi made an appearance in John Wick: Chapter 4 playing the role of a guard in the Osaka Continental alongside fellow retired sumo wrestler Yoshinori Tashiro.[11]
In 2024 he was also cast as main title character in The Wide West, a film starring Alexander Nevsky, about a sumo wrestler's arrival in the United States.[12]
Career record
edit| Year | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | x | (Maezumo) | West Jonokuchi #18 4–3 |
East Jonidan #119 4–3 |
East Jonidan #93 4–3 |
East Jonidan #70 3–4 |
| 2006 | East Jonidan #91 4–3 |
West Jonidan #63 4–3 |
West Jonidan #38 2–5 |
West Jonidan #71 4–3 |
West Jonidan #45 3–4 |
East Jonidan #63 5–2 |
| 2007 | East Jonidan #24 5–2 |
West Sandanme #92 3–4 |
East Jonidan #9 6–1 |
East Sandanme #48 0–7 |
East Sandanme #99 3–4 |
East Jonidan #18 5–2 |
| 2008 | East Sandanme #85 5–2 |
East Sandanme #52 4–3 |
East Sandanme #37 4–3 |
East Sandanme #25 4–3 |
West Sandanme #10 5–2 |
East Makushita #47 3–4 |
| 2009 | East Makushita #56 3–4 |
East Sandanme #11 5–2 |
East Makushita #48 4–3 |
West Makushita #39 5–2 |
West Makushita #29 1–6 |
East Makushita #59 4–3 |
| 2010 | West Makushita #52 5–2 |
West Makushita #39 3–4 |
West Makushita #47 4–3 |
East Makushita #40 2–5 |
East Makushita #54 5–2 |
East Makushita #35 4–3 |
| 2011 | West Makushita #29 5–2 |
Tournament Cancelled 0–0–0 |
West Makushita #21 4–3 |
West Makushita #11 6–1 |
East Jūryō #13 4–11 |
East Makushita #7 3–4 |
| 2012 | West Makushita #10 3–4 |
West Makushita #18 5–2 |
East Makushita #12 1–6 |
East Makushita #29 2–5 |
East Makushita #47 3–4 |
East Makushita #59 0–1–6 |
| 2013 | East Sandanme #35 5–2 |
West Sandanme #7 5–4 |
West Makushita #43 4–3 |
West Makushita #36 2–5 |
East Makushita #55 5–2 |
East Makushita #35 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
| 2014 | West Sandanme #15 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
East Sandanme #76 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
West Jonidan #36 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
West Jonidan #5 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 |
(Banzukegai) | (Banzukegai) |
| 2015 | (Maezumo) | West Jonokuchi #16 7–0 Champion |
West Jonidan #10 7–0–P |
West Sandanme #20 7–0 Champion |
East Makushita #13 3–4 |
East Makushita #20 4–3 |
| 2016 | West Makushita #15 4–3 |
East Makushita #11 3–4 |
West Makushita #17 4–3 |
West Makushita #12 3–4 |
West Makushita #20 3–4 |
East Makushita #27 3–4 |
| 2017 | East Makushita #33 Retired 0–1–6 |
x | x | x | x | x |
| Record given as wins–losses–absences Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) |
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Former Juryo Hishofuji and 16 others retired". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "16 former Juryo Hishofuji and others retired". SANSPO (Sankei Sports) (in Japanese). 25 January 2017. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ @sumokyokai (25 January 2017). "<Retired wrestlers> Hishofuji, Takamori, Wakaryusei, Kinokuni, Rikiyama, Matsuei, Harusakura, Kita Katsuteru, Haguro Yutaka, Tsubomi, Tochiimari, Uehara, Sada Isamu, Tochidaitoyo, Kototakahashi, Musashidaira ..#sumo" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Sumo Sushi Show". USA SUMO. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Former Hishofuji makes his WWE debut, suggesting a joint fight with Shinsuke Nakamura". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 28 April 2018. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ Staff, WWE.com (27 April 2018). "Who was Greatest Royal Rumble Match entrant Hiroki Sumi?". WWE. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ Beltrán, William (27 April 2018). "Who is Hiroki Sumi, who participated in the Greatest Royal Rumble?". Súper Luchas. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "Bobby Lee Gets Sumo Slammed". Yahoo! Life. 1 July 2020. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
- ^ "Wataru Ichinose takes on sumo wrestling in "Sanctuary". Co-stars Announced [Netflix]". Oricon News (in Japanese). 25 February 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ Hiroki Sumi [@Hiroki_S_Hisho] (25 February 2023). "Thursday, May 4 on Netflix. I play the role of Shizuuchi in "Sanctuary" on Netflix, Please check it out!" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 May 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Hiroki Sumi | Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "元十両飛翔富士の住洋樹が米映画「The Wide West」に主演 年内にも公開へ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Hishofuji Hiroki Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
External links
edit- Hishofuji Hiroki's official biography (English) at the Grand Sumo Homepage